The FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office in Albany, New York, have reportedly begun a formal criminal investigation into the real estate and mortgage transactions of New York Democratic Attorney General Letitia James.
Last month, William J. Pulte, director of the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency, sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi alleging that James might have “falsified bank documents and property records to acquire government backed assistance and loans and more favorable loan terms.” He said James had “potentially included … falsifying residence status for a Norfolk, Virginia-based home in order to secure a lower mortgage rate and … misrepresenting property descriptions to meet stringent requirements for government backed loans and government assistance.” He pointed out, “Primary residence mortgages receive more favorable loan terms, including lower interest rates, than secondary residence mortgages.”
Two weeks ago, James’ attorney, Abbe Lowell, wrote a <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25913822-nyag-james-letter-to-ag-bondi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> to Bondi, stating, “I write to address the latest act of improper political retribution—this time directed at Ms. James—publicly instigated and endorsed by President Trump&#8230;. This so-called ‘Criminal Referral,’ which recycles long-disproven allegations and is ‘[b]ased on media reports’ lacks any credible foundation.”
“Mr. Trump has singled out Attorney General James dating back to her campaign in 2018, and ever more so during and after the trial and verdict in New York in which Mr. Trump and the Trump Organization were found liable for financial fraud and assessed a $454 million judgment,” Lowell claimed.
Lowell referred to what he called “baseless allegations,” saying:
<blockquote>
Director Pulte cherry-picked an August 17, 2023 power of attorney that mistakenly stated the property to be Ms. James’ principal residence and at the same time absolutely ignored her very clear and all caps statement two weeks earlier to the mortgage loan broker that “[t]his property WILL NOT be my primary residence[.] It will be Shamice’s primary residence.”  
</blockquote>
In 1983, James, then a recent college graduate, bought a Queens residence with her father, with some documents listing her as his “wife.’
“He asked his daughter (then a few years out of school) to help by allowing him to add her name to the mortgage application,” Lowell argued. “Mr. James filled out the mortgage material (wherein he described their relationship as being ‘spouses’) and purchased the home without his daughter’s involvement.”
“However, James, then 24 and a college graduate, signed the notarized mortgage, along with her father, on one of the document’s three pages that listed her as his ‘wife,’” the Times-Union <a href="https://www.timesunion.com/capitol/article/fbi-opens-formal-investigation-ny-attorney-20316868.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. “One of those references to her being her father’s ‘wife’ was just below her signature. Lending experts consulted by the Times Union said that by listing themselves as husband and wife, the pair may have qualified for a loan — or received better borrowing terms — than had they not been considered a couple due to income requirements.”
James led a prosecutorial effort to investigate Trump’s business dealings, which ended with a judge ordering him, his two sons, and a Trump company official to pay more than $360 million.

NY Attorney Gen. James Holds News Conference Before Hearing On Case To Protect Citizens From Musk’s DOGE Accessing Private Data

FBI Officially Launches Probe Into New York’s Letitia James

Crime

Donald Trump

Fraud

Investigation

Letitia James

New York

Politics

Real estate

Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders took a big step toward protecting her state from the Chinese Communist Party and other nefarious foreign agents.
She signed a bill demanding representatives acting on behalf of hostile foreign adversaries such as the People&#8217;s Republic of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea register publicly, disclose who bankrolls them, and spell out exactly what they are doing in Arkansas politics.
Although this foreign-agent registration is the first statute of its kind in the country, other legislatures should explore similar laws as a defense against hostile foreign actors and their agents covertly swaying policy or political activities at the state level.
Our country is facing a new kind of warfare waged through manipulation, money, and misinformation. Our adversaries are well-funded and coordinated, working relentlessly to sow division and destabilize our society. They’re attacking at the state and local level more and more, hiding behind layers of nonprofits and advocacy groups.
Take Students for Justice in Palestine, for example – a shadowy group that played a prominent role in riling up violent mobs on college campuses last year. This group and others like it (Within Our Lifetime, Jewish Voice for Peace, Palestinian Youth Movement, etc.) routinely accept secret money, raising concerns about potential support from hostile foreign actors.
Some of these organizations are not even registered as nonprofits, and alarmingly, many pro-Hamas groups have established local chapters on college campuses and receive funding from student activity fees.
The CCP perfected this playbook long ago. There are Confucius Institutes embedded on college campuses masquerading as language centers while disseminating the Party’s propaganda. Other groups such as Code Pink echo CCP talking points, attacking American energy policy and championing topics that align with China’s geopolitical objectives.
Research has shown that the CCP’s influence stretches far beyond college campuses. It targets state pension funds, critical infrastructure, farmland near military bases, and even municipal procurement of drones and surveillance tech. Every contract, endowment, or protest it bankrolls is another opportunity to steal American intellectual property, map supply chains, and erode public trust.
It’s no surprise the Federal Bureau of Investigation has labeled the Chinese Communist government a “grave threat to the economic well-being and democratic values of the United States,” and national security agencies from some of our top allies have warned the CCP is engaging in the most “sophisticated theft of intellectual property and expertise in human history.&#8221;
Arkansas has taken the first step in combating this foreign interference. The law will shine a spotlight on every foreign‑funded front group operating in the state. Agents who fail to register face stiff penalties; those tied to hostile nations risk even higher fines.
<div id="attachment_916433" style="width: 875px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-916433" class="size-large wp-image-916433" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-468385788-865x576.jpg" alt="DustyPixel. Getty Images." width="865" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-468385788-865x576.jpg 865w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-468385788-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-468385788-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-468385788-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-468385788-2048x1363.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-468385788-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-468385788-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 865px) 100vw, 865px" />DustyPixel. Getty Images.</div>
The new law also strengthens campaign finance disclosure laws, exposing individuals and organizations seeking to undermine democratic values through covert influence operations. The law is singularly focused on hostile foreign actors; international businesses and lobbyists representing allied nations are unaffected.
It is encouraging that this effort is also a part of a larger “Communist China Defense” suite of bills from Governor Sanders, with proposals to divest state resources from China and ban land purchases near critical infrastructure.
These measures are a timely reminder that safeguarding our communities begins in the statehouse, not just in Washington. Other legislatures should move quickly to adopt similar protections and fortify America’s democracy and sovereignty against those determined to erode them.
 * * *
Joe Gebbia is the CEO and Founder of State Shield, an organization dedicated to educating state leaders and uniting state and federal efforts to combat the growing threat the Chinese Communist Party poses to America’s security, supply chains, and core values.
The views in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Conservatives Gather For Annual CPAC Conference In Washington DC

Arkansas Strikes First Blow Against Foreign Influence In U.S. Politics

Arkansas

China

College

Foreign Funding

Iran

North Korea

Opinion

Russia

Sarah Huckabee Sanders

U.S. Military

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ben-affleck">Ben Affleck</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jennifer-lopez">Jennifer Lopez</a>’s mansion in Beverly Hills hit the market on Thursday amid rumors that the couple is experiencing marital difficulties.
The 38,000-square foot, 12-bedroom, 24-bathroom property was <a href="https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2571-Wallingford-Dr-Beverly-Hills-CA-90210/20532066_zpid/">listed</a> for $68 million several weeks after sources leaked that the sale was imminent. Affleck and Lopez purchased the home in 2022 for $60 million.
The listing describes the home as “[r]ecently renovated with the highest level of quality” and as a “newly rebuilt and expanded masterpiece” situated on five acres, all locked behind double gates. The home is also said to have a separate 5,000-square-foot guest penthouse, caretaker house, and two-bedroom guardhouse, along with a 12-car garage and parking for 80 vehicles. 
This estate also features an indoor sports complex with basketball and pickleball courts, a fully equipped gym, a boxing ring, a sports lounge, a zero-edge pool, and a bar. 
Affleck and Lopez wed in July 2022. The former &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment">Gigli</a>&#8221; costars began dating twenty years earlier and were engaged by November 2002. The couple officially split in January 2004 but rekindled their relationship in July 2021.
“It’s been such a journey. The thing that I think I’ve been wondering about my whole life is, like, is love real? Does true love exist?” Lopez told <a href="https://www.glamour.com/story/jennifer-lopez-calls-moving-in-with-her-and-ben-afflecks-kids-an-emotional-transition">Today</a> in January 2023. “It’s two people kind of coming together and saying, you know, ‘I’m gonna be here no matter what. And we’re gonna get through it together.’”
Rumors of marital issues started in May when TMZ broke the news that the two were living apart. Entertainment Tonight <a href="https://www.etonline.com/jennifer-lopez-and-ben-affleck-taking-a-second-to-figure-things-out-amid-tension-in-marriage-source">reported</a> that a source claimed they were “staying in separate homes and the tension has been high.&#8221;
Neither Affleck nor Lopez has commented publicly on the alleged split. Both have been spotted in recent months together and apart, and on different occasions either wearing or not wearing their wedding rings. Lopez canceled the rest of her “This is Me… Live” tour on May 31, saying she was &#8220;taking time off to be with her children, family and close friends.&#8221;
&#8220;I am completely heartsick and devastated about letting you down,” she said at the time. “Please know that I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t feel that it was absolutely necessary. I promise I will make it up to you and we will all be together again. I love you all so much. Until next time…&#8221; 

Several outlets <a href="https://pagesix.com/2024/07/11/entertainment/ben-affleck-ditches-wedding-ring-again-after-spending-fourth-of-july-apart-from-jennifer-lopez/">reported</a> that Lopez and Affleck spent the Fourth of July holiday apart, with him in Los Angeles and her in the Hamptons.

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck

Jennifer Lopez And Ben Affleck’s $68M Mansion Hits Market Amid Divorce Rumors

Jennifer Lopez And Ben Affleck's $68M Mansion Hits Market Amid Divorce Speculation

Ben Affleck

Beverly Hills

California

Celebrities

Entertainment

Jennifer Lopez

U.S.

Not that it needs saying, but the economy is still a mess. Inflation is high, the value of a dollar isn&#8217;t what it used to be, and interest rates are insane. At the same time, most salaries are not increasing, the job market is terrible, and people are struggling to find work. This combination makes it seem as though it’s not at all possible to buy a home. But is it actually impossible?
Boomers often look at young people and say, “Well, interest rates were even higher in my day, and I still managed to buy a home.” The difference is, salaries increased along with the prices of homes. In 2024, that has not happened. As a result, young people are priced out of the market, especially if they are living in metropolitan areas. However, I believe there is a solution to this bad combination of economic woes.
Conversations about starter homes go viral on X all the time. All it takes is one person tweeting something like this, judging people for “skipping over starter homes” and buying houses that are too expensive, contributing to their own financial demise.
<div id="attachment_753629" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-753629" class="wp-image-753629 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/ssffd.png" alt="Screenshot: X" width="512" height="122" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/ssffd.png 512w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/ssffd-300x71.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" />Screenshot: X</div>
To be fair, he’s correct. Expectations should be in check &#8211; based on where you live and what your salary is. But I do not think this is why people are failing financially, nor do I think he has any idea how much a starter home in 2024 actually is. In most relatively metropolitan areas where people are working and commuting to and from, starter homes start at around $300,000. The replies argued as much:
<div id="attachment_753635" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-753635" class="wp-image-753635 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/fds.png" alt="Screenshot: X" width="512" height="72" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/fds.png 512w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/fds-300x42.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" />Screenshot: X</div>
<div id="attachment_753633" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-753633" class="wp-image-753633 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/fdsa.png" alt="Screenshot: X" width="512" height="85" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/fdsa.png 512w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/fdsa-300x50.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" />Screenshot: X</div>
<div id="attachment_753631" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-753631" class="wp-image-753631 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/hgfs.png" alt="Screenshot: X" width="512" height="89" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/hgfs.png 512w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/hgfs-300x52.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" />Screenshot: X</div>
Now, we have probably all heard the “stop buying avocado toast” argument. When I was in college, my mom would tell me that if I wanted to buy a house someday, I couldn’t spend all my money on Starbucks. I have a love-hate relationship with this statement. On the “love” side, it is true smaller purchases add up. Spending $50 a day on random things here and there ends up being $18,000 at the end of the year. However, on the “hate” side, I think these types of statements trivialize the actual problem at stake, which is that low salaries, high interest rates, and high prices all around make it near impossible to save for a down payment or be able to make a mortgage payment.
Another solution people commonly pose is to live in the middle of nowhere, so you can buy a five-bedroom house for $200,000. While this is true in some parts of the country, many people cannot make this proposed solution work logistically. Although they might be able to afford the house, they might not be able to pull off living in the middle of nowhere because there are no job opportunities, plus schools and grocery stores are 45 minutes away. So, this suggestion just ends up being counterproductive and unhelpful, which some tweets, like this one, are quick to point out:
<div id="attachment_753637" style="width: 522px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-753637" class="wp-image-753637 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/tfhth.png" alt="Screenshot: X" width="512" height="170" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/tfhth.png 512w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/tfhth-300x100.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" />Screenshot: X</div>
The issue of not being able to afford a house is not just relegated to Gen Z. Wall Street Silver went so far as to question if we even have a middle class, tweeting that “homeownership is no longer a staple of the middle-class American Dream.”
<div id="attachment_753639" style="width: 427px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-753639" class="wp-image-753639 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/yjjyyj.png" alt="Screenshot: X" width="417" height="512" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/yjjyyj.png 417w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/yjjyyj-244x300.png 244w" sizes="(max-width: 417px) 100vw, 417px" />Screenshot: X</div>
This should not be the case. People should not just shrug it off, saying, “Oh, well, that’s just life in 2024.” And people should not be stuck in this cycle. So, what is the solution? First, we need to vote accordingly. But until we can do that and until circumstances hopefully change, there are steps you can take. This is not a hopeless situation if you truly want to buy a home.
In Nashville, for example, there are very few homes for sale at or around $300,000, and the ones that are at that price point are not in the safest of areas and they would require a fair amount of renovating. So while you might save money on a down payment, you would spend a pretty penny renovating the entire house. Plus, these homes aren’t even in Nashville proper. You would still be looking at a 20- to 30-minute commute.
That means, if you want a house in Nashville, you have to change your expectations. Since you would already be driving at least 20 minutes from an unsafe, not move-in ready home if you bought at $300,000, could you, instead, add an extra 10 minutes to that drive? If you want to own a home, are you willing to sacrifice a shorter drive for a longer one? If so, you could afford a starter home that is clean, move-in ready, and in a safe area.
<h4><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/do-affordable-homes-still-exist" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH: The Comments Section with Brett Cooper</a></h4>
I know this is possible because I know people who have done it — and I am one of them. The farm my husband and I just bought would have never been in our budget had we lived within 20 minutes of work. So, I spend two hours in the car every single day because that is the house I want to go home to, it is the lifestyle I want to have, and it is the place I want to raise our future children. My producer and her husband similarly worked through this decision a couple months ago, and they bought the cutest historical home outside Nashville where they are actually saving on their mortgage, compared to the rent they had been paying. Which is rare in 2024.
All of this to say, buying an affordable home is possible. All the posts and articles that claim the American Dream of owning a home is completely dead just aren’t true. It might be harder, but it is still possible.
You can buy a house, but you must figure out what your priorities are. If you are willing to make some sacrifices, like driving longer to work, it’s entirely possible. If, however, you don’t want to commute, that is ok, and while the market is truly terrible, renting can still be a mostly affordable option.
The point is, you have to decide what you value and what is most important to you. You must choose where you are going to put your money. That may be different than everyone else around you — and that is ok.
For plenty of people, buying a home isn’t the most important next move and they choose to prioritize other things. For example, after college, my husband moved to New York City for five years where he made incredible connections and created an invaluable network for his career. Instead of buying a house at 23 with a stupidly low interest rate, he chose to move and the return on his career investment was significant. But still, he knew NYC was not where he wanted to be long term, so when those five years lapsed, he reprioritized, moved to Nashville, bought a starter home, met me, and the rest is history.
Now, I do not give these examples to trivialize this problem because there is no getting around the fact the American middle class is disappearing, which has never been the case before. I share these anecdotes to hopefully provide a feeling of empowerment and a reality that there are other options. Life is not as black and white as it may seem on X.
I wish everyone could just buy whatever house they want, but that’s not how the world works. It’s true that life isn’t fair and it never has been. But if you are honest with yourself about what you really value, you’ll be able to prioritize to make life more of what you want. Then, all it takes is some creative, unconventional thinking in determining and realizing there is a way to your goals.
* * *
Note: This article has been edited for clarity.

DSC_6003-1 copy

Yes, The American Dream Is Still Alive. Here’s How To Buy A House In This Market.

Brett Cooper

Gen Z

Housing

Inflation

Mortgages

Readers Pass

Social Media

Joe Biden’s economy, much like Joe Biden, continues to show confusion about where it wants to go.
On the surface, the economy seems to be doing great. <a href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/finance/jobs-report-unemployment-rate#:~:text=The%20unemployment%20rate%20ticked%20up,total%20coming%20in%20at%20272%2C000." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unemployment</a> is relatively low at 4%, the S&amp;P 500 and NASDAQ have recently set new <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/06/09/stock-market-today-live-updates.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">records</a>, and the growth of the inflation rate seems to have slowed, given the May Consumer Price Index <a href="https://www.barrons.com/livecoverage/cpi-inflation-may-report-data-today" target="_blank" rel="noopener">coming in</a> at 3.3% year-over-year.
However, scratch below the surface, and the economy is on very shaky footing.
The May jobs report was an unmitigated disaster. The U.S. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/07/business/economy/jobs-report-may-2024.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">economy</a> added 272,000 jobs in May 2024. That seems like good news. But it isn’t, once you get below the headline numbers.
The overall number of people in the <a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/us/good-bad-news-inside-us-jobs-report-2024-06-10/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">workforce</a> shrank by 250,000 in May and the overall labor force participation rate fell to 62.5%, meaning fewer people are actively looking for work.
The largest employment <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gains</a> came from government jobs and low-paying jobs in the healthcare system. The government sector has been one of the major contributors to job growth under President Biden. This is not a good sign for the private economy, as the government should be shrinking, not growing.
What is worse is that <a href="https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/talent-acquisition/bls-hr-jobs-unemployment-jun-2024#:~:text=The%20report%20also%20showed%20that,62.7%20percent%2C%E2%80%9D%20Nguyen%20said." target="_blank" rel="noopener">full-time</a> workers declined by 625,000, while those holding part-time positions increased by 286,000.
In addition, in May, 414,000 <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/media/larry-kudlow-look-under-hood-bidens-may-jobs-report-youll-see-problem" target="_blank" rel="noopener">immigrants</a>, both legal and illegal, gained jobs, while 663,000 native-born Americans lost jobs. This may be why wage growth continues to be low, with immigrants taking low-paying jobs, suppressing the overall wage rate.
The Consumer Price Index, the measure of <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/cpi-inflation-may-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inflation</a> in the United States rose 3.3% in May 2024, slightly less than April’s increase of 3.4%, driven primarily by the cost of <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/06/12/cpi-report-june-inflation.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">housing</a>. While the slowing of the rate price increases is welcome, prices are still up more than 7.5% over the past two years and, overall, prices are up nearly 20% since Joe Biden took office in January 2021.
The cumulative impact of inflation, combined with high interest rates, is putting the dream of home ownership further out of reach for most young and working-class Americans.
Not only are homes at record high prices, with the median home <a href="https://www.forbes.com/advisor/mortgages/real-estate/median-home-prices-by-state/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">price</a> over $400,000, the cost of maintaining a home has risen dramatically.
A recent study by <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/mortgages/hidden-costs-of-homeownership-study/#:~:text=In%20a%20market%20where%20median,Hidden%20Costs%20of%20Homeownership%20Study." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bankrate</a> aggregated the average costs of property taxes, insurance, home maintenance costs, and utilities, finding that maintaining the typical home costs more than $18,000 per year, for a typical home valued at $436,000. This is an additional $1,510 per month on top of the monthly mortgage payment, up 26% over the past four years.
Homeowners’ <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/homeownership-costs-us-surged-26-since-start-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">insurance</a> rates are up nearly 40% since 2019.
Add this to the fact that <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/guides/mortgages/mortgage-rates-for-tuesday-06-11-2024/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mortgage</a> rates are hovering around 7%, for a thirty-year fixed-rate mortgage.
It is no wonder that the <a href="https://www.cnb.com/personal-banking/insights/moving-back-home-after-college.html#:~:text=But%20it%27s%20also%20time%20to,parents%2C%20according%20to%20Pew%20Research." target="_blank" rel="noopener">demographics</a> of those living at home with their parents has changed. Mom and Dad’s basement is no longer reserved for the unemployed slacker who spends his days playing video games, eating frozen pizza, and drinking energy drinks. Today, it is college graduates who are moving home, with 32% of college graduates returning to their childhood bedrooms in an effort to save money for an apartment or a house.
It isn’t just home insurance. <a href="https://prospect.org/economy/2024-05-16-auto-insurance-rates-out-of-control/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Auto insurance</a> rates are also up nearly 23% over the past twelve months. In addition, the interest rates needed to <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/loans/auto-loans/when-will-auto-loan-rates-drop/#now" target="_blank" rel="noopener">finance</a> the purchase of a car continue to be extremely high, ranging from 7 – 15%, depending on one’s credit score, and they are not expected to decrease in 2024.
While the headlines sound great — low unemployment, a booming stock market, and a declining rate of inflation growth — the economy is, quite frankly, simply limping along. More importantly, working Americans are struggling to make ends meet.
Real <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-06-02/key-engines-of-us-consumer-spending-are-losing-steam-all-at-once" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spending</a>, which excludes inflation, fell in April 2024, with the American consumer spending less on cars, dining out, and recreational activities.
The Federal Reserve Bank’s decision on June 12 to leave interest rates at their current levels shows that the Fed is more concerned with the return of high inflation than about a slowing economy.
The Fed will be under tremendous pressure to decrease interest rates after their September meeting, in order to help Joe Biden’s reelection campaign. Will Jerome Powell and the rest of the Fed’s Board of Governors have the courage to remain neutral or will they bow to the power of political pressure?
* * *
Jim Nelles is a Navy veteran and supply chain consultant based in Chicago. His articles have appeared in the Washington Examiner, Newsweek, Foxnews.com, and the Daily Wire. He has served as a chief procurement officer, chief supply chain officer, and chief operations officer for multiple companies.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

One Hundred American Dollars Being Printed – Money Printing Concept

Joe Biden’s Fragile Economy

Joe Biden's Fragile Economy

consumer Price Index

Economy

Joe Biden

An alleged scammer has stepped forward to take credit for the attempted foreclosure of Graceland, the estate of the late rock and roll icon <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/elvis-presley">Elvis Presley</a>.
Earlier this month, Naussany Investments and Private Lending LLC claimed the right to auction off Graceland to settle an outstanding debt. The impending sale was later halted in court after a judge determined that the ownership documents were likely forged. 
Now, an individual identifying as a “Nigerian scammer” is taking credit for the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment">incident</a>, per <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/05/29/us-news/nigerian-scammer-takes-credit-for-bizarre-graceland-auction-scare-i-had-fun/">The New York Post</a>. 
“We figure out how to steal. That’s what we do,” the person reportedly wrote while interviewed by the New York Times. The interview was translated from Luganda, a language spoken in Uganda. 
“I had fun figuring this one out and it didn’t succeed very well,” the alleged scammer said.
During the interview, the person reportedly spoke about targeting elderly victims and other vulnerable groups for financial scams. 
Naussany Investments and Private Lending LLC presented documents claiming that Elvis’ daughter, the late Lisa Marie, had borrowed $3.8 million and put up Graceland as collateral prior to her death in January 2023. Lisa Marie’s daughter, Riley Keough, owns Graceland now that her mother has passed. Keough headed to court to dispute the foreclosure filing earlier in May. 
Keough called the foreclosure documents “fraudulent,” while her grandmother, Elvis’ ex-wife Priscilla Presley, declared it was a “scam,” as The Daily Wire previously reported.
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Elvis purchased the 14-acre Memphis property in the spring of 1957 when he was 22, paying just over $100,000 for the mansion and grounds. He spent the following years renovating and expanding the property and lived there until he died in 1977.
It was opened to the public as a museum in 1982 and attracts more than 650,000 visitors annually. Elvis and other family members, including Lisa Marie, are buried on the property.
Lisa Marie once retained full control of Elvis’ estate, which today is estimated to be worth around $1 billion. She sold 85% of her stake in the company in 2005 for $100 million. That share is now worth about $850 million.
Keough was passed control of the 15% stake the family retained and full ownership of the Graceland property following Lisa Marie’s death last year.

Graceland

‘Nigerian Scammer’ Takes Credit For Graceland Foreclosure Debacle: ‘We Figure Out How To Steal’

'Nigerian Scammer' Takes Credit For Graceland Foreclosure Debacle: 'We Figure Out How To Steal'

Elvis Presley

The “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">Home Alone</a>” house is back on the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/real-estate">market</a>, and this time, the asking price is up to $5.25 million.
Movie fans are sure to recognize the sprawling brick property. The house served as the backdrop for the popular Christmas <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/entertainment">comedy</a> from 1990 about a family who accidentally leaves their 9-year-old son Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) behind while they all go on a holiday trip to Paris.
When the distraught mother (Catherine O&#8217;Hara) realizes their mistake, she makes the long journey back to him. All the while Kevin seeks to protect their home from two would-be thieves (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) who intend rob the place while believing the whole family is out of town.
“Home Alone” was filmed mostly on location in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/chicago">Chicago</a>, but the house looks nothing like it did three decades ago. It has been fully renovated with modern finishes, the listing notes, while still retaining the “integrity of the home’s most memorable and recognizable spaces.”
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The house last sold in 2012 for just over $1.5 million, per <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/home-alone-house-chicago-suburbs-hits-market-rcna154209">NBC News</a>. “It’s a chance to own a piece of cinematic history,” Dawn McKenna Group, the real estate team selling the property, said. They also noted that it was a “rare opportunity to own one of the most iconic movie residences in American pop culture.”
The Georgian brick home features five bedrooms, six bathrooms, two living rooms, a kitchen with two large islands and double ovens, and a screened-in porch with a fireplace, the outlet noted. It was fully renovated and expanded in 2018.
It also boasts a basketball court and a movie theater decked out with &#8220;Home Alone&#8221; themed memorabilia.
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Laura Abendshien, who lived in the house during filming, discussed her experience with being part of an active movie set.
&#8220;We stayed in the house pretty much the entire period, which was about four or five months,&#8221; she told <a href="https://people.com/movies/woman-who-grew-up-in-the-home-alone-house-reveals-what-it-was-like-inside/">People</a> in 2020. &#8220;In order to avoid appearing on screen, we would have to crawl around the window line from room to room.&#8221;
She added how surreal it was to have the actors hanging out in her home when they weren’t working. 
&#8220;They would spend time in the house when they weren&#8217;t filming their scenes. Macaulay Culkin used my room to study with his tutor and his brother [Keiran], wasn&#8217;t filming as much, so he would just hang out in my room,&#8221; she told the outlet.
Abendshien also called the movie’s massive success a “surprise” for her family. &#8220;We saw something special was happening, but we didn&#8217;t anticipate how much of a hit it would be,&#8221; she said.
&#8220;It was very surreal when the movie came out and all of a sudden it&#8217;s holiday season in 1990 and it was an endless row of cars and people wanted to see the house and take photographs and that was very new to us, but we grew to love it and we shared the magic of the movie.&#8221;

For Sale

‘Home Alone’ House Listed For Sale In Chicago For $5.25 Million

'Home Alone' House Listed For Sale In Chicago For $5.25 Million

Chicago

Movies

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/music">Elvis Presley</a>’s granddaughter Riley Keough is taking action against the impending foreclosure sale of the King’s legendary Graceland estate.
The 34-year-old actress filed a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lawsuit">lawsuit</a> against Naussany Investments &amp; Private Lending LLC in an attempt to block them from selling the property in what she’s calling a “fraudulent” move. Keough is the heir to Graceland and trustee of the Promenade Trust, per <a href="https://people.com/elvis-granddaughter-riley-keough-graceland-foreclosure-sale-attempt-fraudulent-8651540">People</a>.
According to the 60-page lawsuit filed on May 20, Naussany Investments is claiming that Keough’s late mother, Lisa Marie Presley, borrowed $3.8 million and gave them a deed using the Graceland property as security for the loan prior to her death in 2023. 
Keough argues in court docs that “the note and deed of trust are fraudulent and unenforceable.”
“The purported note and deed of trust are products of fraud and those individuals who were involved in the creation of such documents are believed to be guilty of the crime of forgery,” Keough states in court docs, the outlet noted.
&#8220;On information and belief, Naussany Investments &amp; Private Lending LLC is not a real entity. Naussany Investments &amp; Private Lending LLC appears to be a false entity created for the purpose of defrauding the Promenade Trust (the trust of Keough and formerly of Lisa Marie Presley), the heirs of Lisa Marie Presley, or any purchaser of Graceland at a non-judicial sale,&#8221; the lawsuit alleges.
Keough’s attorneys claim that Lisa Marie’s signature was forged and that she never met the notary who allegedly witnessed her signing the deed.
Keough’s grandmother, Elvis’ ex-wife Priscilla Presley, also weighed in on the situation. She <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C7N1a7yNki4/">shared</a> a short video clip of Graceland on her Instagram along with a text overlay saying, “It’s a scam!” 
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Elvis <a href="https://www.graceland.com/history-of-graceland#:~:text=In%20the%20spring%20of%201957,armloads%20of%20gold%20record%20awards.">purchased</a> the 14-acre Memphis property in the spring of 1957 when he was 22, paying just over $100,000 for the mansion and grounds. The rock and roll legend spent the following years renovating and expanding the property and lived there until his death in 1977. 
It was opened to the public as a museum in 1982 and attracts more than 650,000 visitors annually. Elvis and other family members, including Lisa Marie, are buried on the house&#8217;s grounds.
This is not the first financial dispute in the Presley family. In 2023, Keough agreed to pay Priscilla $1.4 million in exchange for control of the family trust, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/elvis-granddaughter-agrees-to-pay-grandmother-massive-sum-to-control-lisa-maries-trust">reported</a>. Prior to the settlement, which they reached privately without litigation, there were rumors of a family feud over the money. 
“As a family, we are pleased that we resolved this together,” Priscilla said in a statement at the time while confirming she never formally sued her granddaughter.
Lisa Marie had at one point retained full control of Elvis&#8217; estate, which today is estimated to be worth around $1 billion. She sold 85% of her stake in the company in 2005 for $100 million, per <a href="https://www.insideedition.com/lisa-marie-presley-will-death-elvis-graceland-estate">Inside Edition</a>. That share is now worth about $850 million.
Keough was passed control of the 15% stake the family retained and full ownership of the Graceland property upon Lisa Marie&#8217;s death last year.

Elvis’ Granddaughter Says Upcoming Graceland Foreclosure Sale Is ‘Fraudulent’

Elvis' Granddaughter Says Upcoming Graceland Foreclosure Sale Is 'Fraudulent'

Lawsuit

Memphis

Music

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“Guardians of the Galaxy” actor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/chris-pratt">Chris Pratt</a> and his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger, are facing backlash for their decision to demolish a historic home to make way for a new build.
The couple chose to have a Los Angeles home known as &#8220;the Zimmerman house&#8221; destroyed. The Los Angeles Conservancy, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving historic places in the city, described the house as &#8220;a noteworthy example of Modernist design from this era.&#8221; 
The Conservancy noted that though the house was determined to be “potentially historic” by the SurveyLA program, it was never formally classified as such and was therefore eligible for demolition at the owner’s discretion.
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The mid-century modern home was designed by architect Craig Ellwood in 1950, per <a href="https://www.sfgate.com/realestate/article/chris-pratt-katherine-schwarzenegger-demolish-19412355.php">SF Gate</a>. The outlet noted that it was reportedly sold off-market for $12.5 million in 2023 and was torn down “shortly after.” It was once featured in Progressive Architecture magazine.
As with most architecture, it comes down to location, location, location. The house is situated down the street from two homes owned by Maria Shriver, Schwarzenegger’s mother, in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/california">Brentwood</a>.
A TikTok video tour of the home posted by the account @vintageonq, which was taken during an estate sale, has gone viral as this news hit the headlines.
The TikTok goes through a list of the past occupants. The social media user noted that the property most recently belonged to Sam and Hilda Rolfe, who bought the home in 1975 for $205,000. Sam Rolfe is known for creating the TV series “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” He died in 1993, but Hilda lived in the house until her death in 2022.
Critics aren’t just upset that Pratt and Schwarzenegger tore down the home. They’re also furious that the couple allegedly enlisted architect Ken Ungar for the new build, a pro who’s known for designing modern farmhouse mansions.
The Eichler Network, an outlet documenting mid-century homes in California, published an <a href="https://www.eichlernetwork.com/article/mourning-ellwood-original">op-ed</a> about the event including photos of the lot where the house once stood. The writer expressed &#8220;shock” and “disbelief at the pile of rubble&#8221; upon viewing the aftermath.
&#8220;Witnessing the demolition of revered residential architecture is a gut punch. Even walking the inclined driveway leading to the empty lot where such a home once stood can be painful,&#8221; the article said.
“Special place in hell for people who do this, go buy a readily made McMansion instead you dumb b****!!!,&#8221; one person <a href="https://twitter.com/PastaVersaucy/status/1779327830876426656">wrote</a> on X, adding in a follow-up, &#8220;Tearing this down, for what?? Floor to ceiling black and white marble with no soul?&#8221;
Reddit <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/midcenturymodern/comments/1c4nlny/chris_pratt_demolished_the_entirety_of_a/">commenters</a> also lamented the demo of the property on a midcentury modern focused subreddit.
“Yet more proof that money can&#8217;t buy good taste,” one person wrote.
“This is incredibly sad. Ellwood/Burke just did custom one-offs, so there aren&#8217;t that many around. CSH #16 is one of my favorites. Great form and materials. Don&#8217;t want to ever see what atrocity that will take its place,” another person wrote.
Pratt and Schwarzenegger are currently selling their home in the hills of Pacific Palisades for $30 million.
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Chris Pratt Katherine Schwarzenegger

Chris Pratt, Katherine Schwarzenegger Trashed For Demolishing Mid-Century Historic Property To Build New Mansion

Chris Pratt

Los Angeles

The 21-acre estate that previously belonged to convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh has sold at auction for $1 million – less than the minimum bid initially set for the home.
Murdaugh was convicted of killing his wife Maggie and youngest son Paul at the dog kennels located on the property and has been sentenced to two consecutive life sentences. The new owners are from South Carolina and requested their names not be made public, <a href="https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/alex-murdaugh-murder-house-moselle-south-carolina-under-contract/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Realtor.com</a>.
A $1.1 million minimum bid was set for the estate, which includes a 5,300-square-foot, four-bedroom, 4.5-bath house. The new owners plan to turn the estate into a horse farm.
“They’re a prominent South Carolina businessperson that has several offices throughout South Carolina,” Craig King, senior marketing consultant at J.P. King Auction Co., told the website. “Their plan is to relocate their current horse farm to this location.”
The original estate was 1,772 acres, and it sold in March 2023 for $2,663,676 million, Realtor.com reported. The original asking price was $3.9 million. The people who purchased the entire estate intended to use the property for timber, hunting, and agribusiness, King previously <a href="https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/south-carolina-farm-where-alex-murdaugh-is-accused-of-murdering-his-wife-and-son-about-to-be-sold/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the outlet.
Months after purchasing the property, the new owners decided to sell the house along with 21 of the 1,772 acres. The asking price was $1.95 million, but no one bought it, so they put it up for auction.
In addition to Maggie and Paul, the Murdaugh’s former housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield, also died on the property. She reportedly fell down the stairs in the home in 2018. The Murdaugh family told Gloria’s sons that she tripped over the family dogs and fell down the stairs, dying from her injuries. At the time, an autopsy wasn’t performed, but after Alex Murdaugh’s crimes were revealed, an investigation into Satterfield’s death was opened.
After Satterfield’s death, Murdaugh told the family he would sue himself to collect insurance money for the housekeeper’s family – money they never received. Satterfield’s son, Tony, <a href="https://www.newsnationnow.com/cuomo-show/gloria-tony-satterfield-alex-murdaugh-verdict-reaction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo that he felt “betrayed, shocked” after learning that Murdaugh had stolen millions of dollars from his family, but maintained he <a href="om/news/son-of-dead-alex-murdaugh-housekeeper-speaks-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener">doesn’t believe</a> his mother was killed on purpose.
The family attorney, Eric Bland, has said that the family doesn’t believe Gloria was intentionally killed and that it would be difficult for investigators to find any evidence of foul play.
“She flipped twice, so she had significant closed head injury and open head injury with 12 broken ribs,” Bland told NewsNation. “The real issue is going to be if somebody was told before Paul or Maggie died … if they know something.”
Tony also said he didn’t believe foul play was involved in his mother’s death but does support exhuming his mother’s body.
Satterfield and the murders are just part of the criminal story involving Alex Murdaugh. Murdaugh was accused of stealing $8.5 million from people who had hired him as their attorney. He is also alleged to have orchestrated his own murder by hiring a friend to kill him so that his surviving son, Buster, could receive a $10 million life insurance payout. Murdaugh allegedly lied to police about the incident, claiming a stranger shot him on the side of the road. This all took place just days after Murdaugh’s firm discovered he had stolen money from clients.
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Murdaugh has adamantly denied killing his wife and son and continues to appeal the verdict. In November, he pleaded guilty to numerous financial crimes and was sentenced to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/alex-murdaugh-sentenced-to-27-years-for-financial-crimes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">27 years in prison</a>, so even if the murder convictions are overturned, he’ll still spend nearly 30 years behind bars.

Alex Murdaugh

Alex Murdaugh’s House Sells At Auction For $1 Million

Murder

South Carolina

Pop star <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/katy-perry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Katy Perry</a> has received some negative attention (not enough) for her disturbing battle with elderly nuns over a property, a former convent, in Los Angeles. But Perry’s suspect actions don’t come close to ending there.
Here’s a list of five jarring moves from the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/katy-perry-sparks-robot-comparisons-after-video-surfaces-of-bizarre-eye-glitch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sometimes-malfunctioning</a> 39-year-old “Teenage Dream” singer:
<h2>‘Blood On Her Hands’ </h2>
Perry in 2015 tried to <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/real-estate/inside-katy-perry-convent-sparked-a-real-estate-war-1247527/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">buy a property</a> in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles that was previously bought and used as a convent and public place of prayer by some 50 nuns known as the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles agreed to sell the property to the singer without the remaining living nuns’ consent. The nuns, in fact, felt very strongly that they did not want Perry to acquire the property after looking her up online, specifically referencing a video where the entertainer quips about selling her soul to the devil for fame. 
&#8220;In selling to Katy Perry, we feel we are being forced to violate our canonical vows to the Catholic Church,” Sister Catherine Rose Holzman <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/20/us/nuns-intensify-fight-over-sale-of-convent-to-katy-perry.html#:~:text=%E2%80%9CIn%20selling%20to%20Katy%20Perry,%2415%20million%2C%20were%20being%20considered." target="_blank" rel="noopener">said in 2015</a>. Sister Rita Callanan also commented publicly, &#8220;I thought, is that a way to make money?&#8221; 
<div id="attachment_658557" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-658557" class="size-large wp-image-658557" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/GettyImages-482348316-864x576.jpg" alt="The swimming pool is seen outside the former home of Sisters of the Most Holy and Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Waverly Drive in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, U.S., on Wednesday, July 29, 2015. The eight acres, with panoramic views and a villa, could wind up as either a boutique hotel or a home for Perry, the flamboyant pop singer who rose to fame with the hit &quot;I Kissed A Girl.&quot; Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/GettyImages-482348316-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/GettyImages-482348316-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/GettyImages-482348316-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/GettyImages-482348316.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images</div>
Perry attempted to win over the nuns through a personal meeting where she sang gospel music and showed the sisters a tattoo on her wrist that says “Jesus.” They were not won over, and quickly moved to sell to another person, Dana Hollister, whom they did feel comfortable buying the property, in part because Hollister would turn the convent into a hotel, which the public could still have access to. 
In response, the archdiocese sued the two nuns, arguing that Perry deserves the property. And Perry sued Hollister for interfering with her purchase. A judge decided against the sisters and Hollister, who was being targeted for even further punitive damages from the ordeal. 
The nuns begged Perry to stop going after them and Hollister, but Perry did not relent.
Hollister, shortly after, had to declare bankruptcy, and the two nuns accompanied her in court to show their support. Outside the courtroom, Sister Rose pleaded, &#8220;Katy Perry, please stop. It&#8217;s not doing anyone any good except hurting a lot of people.&#8221; Hours later, the sister collapsed and died inside the courtroom. Sister Callanan said publicly that Perry “has blood on her hands.” 
The court outcome said Perry could have the property after Vatican approval. It’s still unclear if she’s received such approval.
<div id="attachment_658561" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-658561" class="size-large wp-image-658561" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/GettyImages-482348374-864x576.jpg" alt="The room that once held the chapel with original fireplace is seen at the former home of Sisters of the Most Holy and Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Waverly Drive in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, U.S., on Wednesday, July 29, 2015. The eight acres, with panoramic views and a villa, could wind up as either a boutique hotel or a home for Perry, the flamboyant pop singer who rose to fame with the hit &quot;I Kissed A Girl.&quot; Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/GettyImages-482348374-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/GettyImages-482348374-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/GettyImages-482348374-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/GettyImages-482348374.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Photographer: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images</div>
<h2>‘I Was Uncomfortable Immediately’ </h2>
In 2018, Perry kissed a young man without his consent on live television – an action that would have set the media on fire had the genders in this situation been reversed. Perry was acting as a judge on “American Idol” when a 19-year-old contestant named Benjamin Glaze was talking about his job as a cashier. Fellow judge Luke Bryan jokingly asked Glaze if he had ever “kissed a girl and liked it” – a reference to one of Perry’s hit songs. Perry then had Glaze kiss her on the cheek. She asked him for another peck, but tricked him by turning her head so the boy was locking lips with the pop singer. 
“Would I have done it if she (Perry) said, ‘Would you kiss me?’ No, I would have said no,” Glaze admitted to The New York Times in the aftermath of the incident. “I know a lot of guys would be like, ‘Heck yeah!’ But for me, I was raised in a conservative family and I was uncomfortable immediately. I wanted my first kiss to be special.” 
Glaze was so shaken up by the experience he spoke to his friends about it, and they reassured him that it was technically not his first kiss, since it wasn&#8217;t romantic. “It was lip contact versus a romantic situation with someone you care about,” Glaze said. “That’s what a real first kiss is.”
<div id="attachment_658547" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-658547" class="size-large wp-image-658547" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/GettyImages-932480808-864x576.jpg" alt="AMERICAN IDOL - 101 (Auditions) - The gold standard of all music competition series, American Idol, will make its highly anticipated return to television as superstar judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie set out on a journey across the nation to discover a new crop of inspiring talent with a touch of Disney magic, as it premieres its first season at its new home on Americas network, The Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images Television Network, SUNDAY, MARCH 11 (8:00-10:01 p.m. EDT). (Mark Levine/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)BENJAMIN GLAZE (ENID, OK), LIONEL RICHIE, KATY PERRY, LUKE BRYAN" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/GettyImages-932480808-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/GettyImages-932480808-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/GettyImages-932480808-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/GettyImages-932480808.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Mark Levine/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images</div>
<h2>Mom-Shaming Bully</h2>
Earlier this year, Perry made waves for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mom-shaming-is-super-lame-young-mother-mocked-by-katy-perry-fires-back" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bullying and mom-shaming</a> “American Idol” contestant Sara Beth Liebe. Before her audition, Liebe <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/leylamohammed/katy-perry-mom-shaming-american-idol-contestant-sara-beth?d_id=5620666&amp;ref=bftwbuzzfeed&amp;utm_source=dynamic&amp;utm_campaign=bftwbuzzfeed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revealed</a> that she had borne three children by the time she was 25-years-old. That prompted Perry to pretend she was going to faint. Liebe commented, “If Katy lays on the table, I think I’m going to pass out,” to which Perry replied, “Honey, you been laying on the table too much.” 
The awkward moment clearly made Liebe uncomfortable, but for good measure, Perry closed by telling the young mother, “Look, if it’s not your dream, you’re not gonna go far.” The comment was taken by some as a scolding from Perry because Liebe prioritized motherhood at a young age.
As for Liebe, she addressed Perry’s remarks online: “I don’t really have too much to say on my feelings about it because I feel like it’s probably pretty self-explanatory,” she said. “I mean, it was embarrassing to have that on TV and it was hurtful and you know, that’s that. But I did want to take this opportunity to just say that I think that women supporting and uplifting other women is so cool and I think that mom-shaming is super lame and I think that it’s hard enough to be a mom and it’s hard enough to be a woman. And I also wanted to take this opportunity to say that I see all of the young moms and just moms in general who have commented on all of the videos and posts and everything and I just wanted to say that I see you and I hear you and I am grateful for you and you’re worthy and keep loving your babies.”
“Nobody deserves to feel crappy about that,” she declared. “Like I mean, bottom line, I don’t think there’s anything really more to it. And I think if you’re a good mama and you love your babies that’s all that really matters and other comments just don’t feel necessary and that’s all I have to say on the matter.”
<div id="attachment_658567" style="width: 730px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-658567" class="size-large wp-image-658567" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/GettyImages-1252515418-720x576.jpg" alt="AMERICAN IDOL &quot;615 (Judge's Song Contest)&quot; - The Judge's Song Contest returns as judges Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie each suggest songs for the contestants to choose from. America votes for the Top 7 LIVE coast to coast. MONDAY, MAY 1 (8:00-10:00 p.m.), on ABC. (Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Images)LIONEL RICHIE, KATY PERRY, LUKE BRYAN" width="720" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/GettyImages-1252515418-720x576.jpg 720w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/GettyImages-1252515418-300x240.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/GettyImages-1252515418-768x614.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/11/GettyImages-1252515418.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" />Eric McCandless/ABC via Getty Images</div>
<h2>Target: Elderly Vet With A Brain Disease </h2>
Perry’s real estate woes did not stop at her years-long battle with aging nuns. The pop singer is now entangled in more drama, this time with an elderly veteran named Carl Westcott, the founder of 1-800-Flowers, who says he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/no-california-dreamin-katy-perry-has-more-housing-drama-looming" target="_blank" rel="noopener">never meant to sell</a> Perry and her husband, actor Orlando Bloom, his $15 million Santa Barbara estate.
Westcott, an 83-year-old battling Huntington’s disease, reportedly said he signed sale documents in July 2020 when he was under the influence of painkillers after having major back surgery, The Daily Wire’s Amanda Harding recently reported. Westcott tried to back out of the sale days later when he said the influence of the painkillers wore off, but Perry and Bloom refused his request and threatened to sue if he did not go through with the sale. 
A representative for Perry and Bloom sent a letter following Westcott’s request to rescind the documents, saying he was legally obligated to complete the sale of the home. Westcott claims he never listed the home for sale and never asked a real estate professional to help sell it. He said he purchased the 9,285 square-foot, eight-bedroom, 11-bathroom home in May 2020, just two months before selling it to Perry and Bloom. Westcott further stated he had purchased with the intention of staying there “for the rest of his life.”
The plaintiff had back surgery in July 2020 and three days later signed the sale paperwork. Westcott was allegedly presented with a written offer from Perry and Bloom for more money than he paid for the property in May. “Upon discharge from the hospital, Mr. Westcott was prescribed at least two opiates in pill form that he was to continue taking for pain, which he took as prescribed several times each day,” the complaint states. “’The combination of his age, frailty from his back condition and recent surgery, and the opiates he was taking several times a day rendered Mr. Westcott of unsound mind.” The veteran’s lawyers argue he was “unable to understand the nature and probable consequences of his actions” due to being on pain medication. They say their client is “in the final years of his life and cannot sell his home.”
Westcott will not attend the trial because he is mentally incapacitated and bedridden, leaving his family to fight the celebrity couple over who should be the rightful owners of the estate. A nonjury trial is scheduled for August 21, 2023, per <a href="https://www.insider.com/katy-perry-nuns-los-angeles-convent-sale-feud-timeline-2019-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">USA Today</a>. 
The current status of the home’s occupants, if any, remains unclear.
<div id="attachment_602159" style="width: 879px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-602159" class="size-large wp-image-602159" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Katy-Perry-Orlando-Bloom-869x576.jpg" alt="Katy Perry Orlando Bloom" width="869" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Katy-Perry-Orlando-Bloom-869x576.jpg 869w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Katy-Perry-Orlando-Bloom-300x199.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Katy-Perry-Orlando-Bloom-768x509.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Katy-Perry-Orlando-Bloom-1536x1019.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Katy-Perry-Orlando-Bloom-2048x1358.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 869px) 100vw, 869px" />Phillip Faraone/Getty Images</div>
<h2>‘I Sold My Soul To The Devil’ </h2>
More than a decade ago, Katy Perry talked to Australian model and actress Ruby Rose about her transformation from gospel music to secular pop music. Perry noted that she grew up in a Christian church and wanted to dominate the Christian music industry, but the label she was working with went bust. That’s apparently when she made her switch over to secular music. “I swear, I wanted to be the Amy Grant of Music, but it didn&#8217;t work out, and, so, I sold my soul to the devil,” Perry says during the interview. The joke, or the metaphor for her transformation, has been criticized online, particularly by Christians.
Perry, of course, is not the only Hollywood celebrity to engage in suspect actions, but she has routinely evaded a “cancellation.” Others, who don’t hold Perry’s views, would surely not have the same fate.
Amanda Harding contributed to this report

Hollywood Week continues as contestants form dynamic duos and hit the Hollywood stage for the Duets Challenge. Platinum Ticket winners handpick their duet partners and rejoin the competition in hopes of making it through to the next round. MONDAY, APRIL 3 (8:00-10:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC.

‘Blood On Her Hands’: The Growing List Of Katy Perry’s Egregious Actions

American Idol

Catholic Church

Court

Katy Perry

HGTV finally sold the “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/television" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brady Bunch</a>” house in Southern California for a loss to a fan who called it the “worst investment.”
Tina Trahan, 53, said she didn’t buy the house for anything other than fundraising opportunities and other charitable events.
“No one is going in there to make pork chops and applesauce in that kitchen,&#8221; Trahan told <a href="https://www.wsj.com/real-estate/luxury-homes/the-brady-bunch-house-sells-for-3-2-million-1c792518" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Wall Street </a>Journal of purchasing the property. &#8220;Anything you might do to make the house livable would take away from what I consider artwork.”
HGTV purchased the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hollywood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Hollywood</a> home in 2018 for $3.5 million after outbidding musician Lance Bass. The outside of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/real-estate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">house</a> had been used for exterior shots famously used on the popular ABC sitcom “The Brady Bunch” (1969-1974), but all inside shots were filmed on a soundstage. For that reason, the actual house’s interior did not match what viewers saw on television.
HGTV used that to its advantage. It created the special series, “A Very Brady Renovation,” starring several HGTV stars and former “Brady Bunch” cast members involved in renovating the space. It was the cast’s first time reuniting in more than 15 years, per People.
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The home was listed for sale in May for $5.5 million. It sold to Trahan for $3.2 million, representing a 9% loss for the property, not counting the renovation costs. Before HGTV bought it, the same family lived there for 50 years, according to <a href="https://people.com/hgtv-sells-brady-bunch-house-to-superfan-who-called-it-the-worst-investment-ever-7968364" target="_blank" rel="noopener">People</a>. 
Trahan, who is married to former HBO chief executive Chris Albrecht, described the purchase as “the worst investment ever” despite her nostalgia. 
“Nobody is going to live in it,” she told WSJ. “It’s almost like a life-size dollhouse.&#8221;
Listing agent Danny Brown told the outlet that the property proved difficult to price because it was hard to find a good comparison. He said HGTV wanted to list the property between $3 million and $10 million. 
“There’s no normal average family that could move in there and live in it, so it was almost like you were selling a fixer,” Brown said. “What am I going to compare it to, the Freddy Krueger house on &#8216;Elm Street&#8217; or the &#8216;Home Alone&#8217; house?”

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